Haryana AI Mission (2026): Building An AI-Enabled State

Policy Update
Sneha Kohli

Background

With the transforming age of technology and globally interconnected world, Artificial Intelligence has become an integral part of governance. India is playing a leading role globally in AI research, innovation and responsible policymaking. Thus, AI marks the need of the present.

Hence, it becomes important for the integration of Artificial Intelligence software across multiple domains of healthcare, education, agriculture, industry and policy making systems. AI is making disease diagnosis and treatment more accurate in healthcare, strengthening personalised learning in education, and helping farmers increase productivity, access better markets and add value in agriculture. Small and medium enterprises are enhancing their efficiency through AI and gaining competitive opportunities in global markets.

In this background and overall mission of Viksit Bharat 2047, the state government of Haryana launched Haryana AI mission in 2026 to promote AI in the state. Under this mission, one AI hub each will be established in Gurugram and Panchkula, where 50,000 youth will be trained in new technologies. (Chief Minister’s Office, Haryana, 2026)

The mission works in collaboration with the Haryana AI Development Programme (HAIDP) under the Department of Future with agencies like HARTRON (Haryana State Electronics Development Corporation) and the Higher Education and Skill Development departments . The Department of Future is a recently established new department by the state of Haryana to drive forward-looking economic areas including Artificial Intelligence, Green Tech, and Biotech. (Chief Minister’s Office, Haryana, 2026)

The objectives and key provisions of the Haryana AI mission are as follows: (Chief Minister’s Office, Haryana, 2026; Elets News Network, 2026)

To encourage innovation and research with the aid of ‘Haryana State Research Fund’ of 20 crore.
Development of core technology, hardware and deep-tech innovation, upgrading data science departments and integrating advanced technologies like quantum computing into curricula, alongside developing a GPU-enabled data centre hub in Ambala and Panchkula to strengthen AI model training infrastructure.
To develop Panchkula, Haryana as the Silicon Valley of North India by establishing an AI hub on 73 acres of land with a clean environment, skilled human resources, high-speed internet and 24/7 green energy for deep tech innovation
Training of 50,000 youth over three years (2025–2028) in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science, to create a future-ready workforce, enhance employability, and support AI-driven startups and enterprises, ensuring skill development.
Integration of AI with the Haryana Clean Air Program for Sustainable Development (HCAPSD), a $300 million World Bank-supported project focused on industrial emission control, electric vehicle adoption, and agricultural interventions to improve urban air quality, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability.

Source: Elets News Network. (2026, May 21). Haryana AI Mission 2026: Driving innovation, skills and sustainable. Elets eGov.

Functioning

The Haryana AI Mission was proposed in the Haryana Budget 2025–26 as a state-level initiative to strengthen data-driven policymaking, automate governance and build AI capabilities, with an initial assurance of ₹474 crore from the World Bank as its funding structure. The Mission envisaged AI hubs in Gurugram and Panchkula and aimed to train more than 50,000 youth and professionals in emerging technologies (Government of Haryana, 2025).

Its implementation has subsequently expanded through the proposed Haryana AI and Development Project (HAIDP), with emphasis on:

Comprehensive Data Exchange Policy
Data Lake
AI Gurukul for workforce development
District-level skill centres
AI model tailored to Haryana’s administrative requirements
AI-based solutions for air-quality management

The HAIDP ensures establishment of critical AI infrastructure such as the Global Artificial Intelligence Centre (GAIC) in Gurugram and the Haryana Advanced Computing Facility (HACF) in Panchkula. For citizens, this could translate into access to AI training programmes, skill-development opportunities, entrepreneurship support and employment in emerging technology sectors. Thus, the central focus of HAIDP is large-scale skill development and workforce transition. (Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Haryana, 2025)

Institutionally, the ARJUN (AI for Resilient Jobs, Urban Air Quality and Next Gen Skills) Council functions as the core institutional vehicle for HAIDP, bringing together AI infrastructure, data ecosystems, safe-AI governance, workforce development and cross-departmental implementation (ARJUN, 2026).

The framework therefore combines state government leadership, World Bank support, specialised institutional mechanisms through ARJUN, AI infrastructure, inter-departmental data integration and capacity-building initiatives to operationalise AI across governance and development sectors.

As on 19th March 2026, a total of 1,037 candidates have been trained in the State of Haryana in AI related job roles such as AI – Machine LearningEngineer, AI – Data Quality Analyst, AI – Database Administrator, etc. (Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2026) As stated by Health Minister of Haryana on 7th September 2026, The Haryana AI Mission remains under active development and implementation.The mission is evolving through ongoing institutional and technological interventions rather than functioning as a fully completed programme (Chief Minister’s Office, Haryana, 2026).

Expected Performance

As the Haryana AI Mission is still under implementation, its performance should be assessed primarily against its stated targets, implementation milestones and institutional outputs, rather than realised outcomes. The Mission proposes AI hubs in Gurugram and Panchkula with a target of training 50,000 youth in new technologies, while the State has also identified AI, digital governance and data-driven administration as key areas of implementation (Government of Haryana, 2026).

The development of an AI Sandbox provides an early implementation mechanism through which AI solutions can be tested before their wider adoption across government departments. The State Government reported that around 250 companies and startups participated in the Innovation Challenge, with selected innovations intended for implementation across departments (Government of Haryana, 2026).

Performance can also be expected to be reflected in the expansion of AI-skilling and computing infrastructure. AI hubs are being developed in Gurugram and Panchkula, while the State has also announced centres for training in AI, robotics and drone technologies in Karnal, Panchkula and Panipat, with ₹20 crore allocated for the initiative (Government of Haryana, 2026). The Mission’s implementation can further be assessed through progress in establishing the proposed Data Exchange Policy and Data Lake, development of a Haryana-specific AI model, and deployment of AI-based solutions for governance and air-quality management (Government of Haryana, 2026).

Thus, in the initial phase, indicators such as the number of youth trained, AI infrastructure established, startups participating in innovation programmes, solutions piloted and subsequently adopted, and departments integrated into data-sharing systems would provide more appropriate measures of performance than outcome-based indicators.

Agriculture represents an important area for the application of AI under Haryana’s emerging technology ecosystem. The use of AI with drones, remote sensing, sensors, geospatial technologies and digital agricultural advisory systems can support crop monitoring, soil and water management, precision farming and timely decision-making. Existing initiatives such as AgriStack, which has digitally mapped agricultural plots across the state, provide a data-driven foundation for the wider adoption of AI-enabled agricultural applications (Government of Haryana, 2026). Going forward, performance may be assessed through indicators such as the number of AI-enabled agricultural applications deployed, farmers covered through digital advisory systems, and improvements in resource-use efficiency and crop monitoring.

Table: Key Indicators and Expected Performance of the Haryana AI Mission

Key Indicator	Expected Performance
AI Infrastructure	Operationalisation of AI hubs and advanced computing infrastructure
Skilling & Employment	Training of 50,000 youth in AI and emerging technologies
Innovation & Startups	Increased startup participation, incubation and AI solution development
AI-enabled Governance	Greater adoption of AI for data-driven decision-making and public service delivery
Data Infrastructure	Development of the Data Exchange Policy and Data Lake
Environmental Applications	AI-based air-quality monitoring and pollution management
Research & Development	Strengthening of research, industry collaboration and AI innovation

Source: Compiled by the author based on Government of Haryana (2026) and Elets News Network (2026)

Potential Impact

Impact on AI Ecosystem, Human capital and innovation capacity: The Mission has the potential to strengthen Haryana’s AI ecosystem by combining infrastructure development, workforce skilling, research support and startup-oriented interventions. The proposed training of 50,000 youth could contribute to building a future-ready workforce with capabilities in emerging technologies, while AI hubs and associated infrastructure could facilitate greater interaction between government, academia, startups and industry (Government of Haryana, 2026). This could enhance employability and generate new employment opportunities by equipping individuals with skills aligned with the evolving demands of the labour market.
Economic Impact: The potential economic impact is reinforced by Haryana’s IT/ITeS, AI and Emerging Technology Policy 2026, which forms part of a wider set of sector-specific policies intended to attract investment, promote innovation and generate employment in emerging sectors (Government of Haryana, 2026).
Impact on Citizen-centric governance: The Mission could also have implications for public service delivery. The proposed Data Lake and Data Exchange Policy are intended to facilitate seamless information exchange between departments, while the AI Sandbox provides a mechanism for developing and testing practical technological solutions for government. The State Government has identified applications in areas including public grievance redressal, education, infrastructure and healthcare, with the broader objective of making government services more transparent, faster and more effective (Government of Haryana, 2026).
Environmental Support: AI-based applications in environmental management could similarly support air-quality monitoring and pollution-control interventions.
Environmental Costs and Resource Stress: While AI can improve environmental monitoring and resource management, its large-scale deployment may also create environmental pressures through high electricity and water consumption for data centres and computing infrastructure. Increased demand for AI infrastructure could contribute to energy-grid stress and groundwater depletion, particularly if data centres rely heavily on water-intensive cooling systems.

Over the longer term, the Mission could therefore contribute to technology-led economic growth, employment generation, innovation, improved public-service delivery and data-driven governance. However, these should be treated as potential impacts rather than established outcomes, as the Mission’s major interventions are still being developed and their effectiveness will depend on implementation capacity, adoption across departments, quality and accessibility of data, availability of skilled personnel, industry participation and the ability to scale successful pilot projects.

Emerging Issues

Implementation and institutional coordination: The Mission involves multiple actors, therefore, as implementation expands effective inter-departmental coordination and clearly defined institutional responsibilities will remain important.
Data governance, privacy and interoperability: The proposed Data Exchange Policy and Data Lake can strengthen data-driven governance, but their effectiveness will depend on interoperability, privacy safeguards and responsible data-sharing mechanisms. Data-intensive applications also raise concerns relating to privacy and security (Government of Haryana, 2026; Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, 2024).
Skilling and availability of specialised talent: The target of training 50,000 youth is substantial, but training quantity alone may not translate into an industry-ready workforce. Ensuring curriculum quality, practical exposure, certification, faculty capacity and alignment with evolving industry requirements will be important for converting skilling targets into meaningful employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Infrastructure and regional accessibility: The concentration of major AI infrastructure in Gurugram and Panchkula may create differences across districts. The proposed district-level skill centres can help address this, but their effective operationalisation and connectivity with the main AI ecosystem will be important.

Way Forward

Strengthen institutional coordination and monitoring: Establish clear roles and responsibilities across departments, ARJUN Council, implementing agencies, academic institutions and industry partners, supported by time-bound milestones and publicly reported progress indicators.
Develop a robust state-level data governance framework: The proposed indicators should be accompanied by clear protocols for interoperability, privacy, cybersecurity and accountability. Data governance should be incorporated into the Mission from the implementation stage rather than addressed after deployment (Government of Haryana, 2026; Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, 2024).
Shift from quantity to employability outcomes: Alongside the target of 50,000 trained youth, the Mission should track indicators such as certification, placement, apprenticeships, startup creation, industry partnerships and continued skill utilisation. Training curricula should be periodically updated in consultation with industry and academic institutions to maintain relevance.
Promote decentralised access to the AI ecosystem: While Gurugram and Panchkula can function as major AI hubs, district-level institutions should be connected to these centres through training, incubation, digital infrastructure and research networks. This would help ensure that the benefits of the Mission extend beyond Haryana’s established technology clusters.

Conclusion

Overall, the Haryana AI Mission reflects a multi-dimensional strategy that combines infrastructure development, large-scale skilling, startup financing, environmental sustainability, and alignment with national AI initiatives. By integrating global financial support, central government schemes, and state-led innovation policies, Haryana aims to create a resilient and future- ready AI ecosystem capable of delivering measurable economic, environmental, and governance outcomes.

References

ARJUN. (2026). About HAIDP. The ARJUN Institution. ARJUN Council. https://arjuncouncil.org.in/about

Chief Minister’s Office, Haryana. (2026, September 7). Haryana to soon be developed as a major Artificial Intelligence hub—Arti Singh Rao. Government of Haryana. https://prms.prharyana.gov.in/press-release/5267

Chief Minister’s Office, Haryana. (2026, February 1). CMO Haryana | Press release – 1 February 2026. Government of Haryana. https://haryanacmoffice.gov.in/press-release/cmo-haryana-press-release-1-february-2026

Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Haryana. (2025). Make in Haryana Industrial Policy 2025 (Ultra Mega, Mega and Large Enterprises). Government of Haryana. Pg 29. https://www.hfcindia.org.in/content/pdfs/Make%20in%20Haryana%20Industrial%20Policy%202025%20-%2015.09.2025.pdf

Elets News Network. (2026, May 21). Haryana AI Mission 2026: Driving innovation, skills and sustainable. Elets eGov. https://egov.eletsonline.com/2026/05/haryana-ai-mission-2026-driving-innovation-skills-and-sustainable/

Government of Haryana. (2025). Budget speech 2025–26. Finance Department, Government of Haryana. https://www.haryanadp.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Budget-Speech-2025-26-English.pdf

Government of Haryana. (2026, August 5). World Bank collaboration to strengthen AI-based good governance, skill development and data-driven decision-making system in Haryana. Chief Minister’s Office, Government of Haryana. https://prms.prharyana.gov.in/press-release

Government of Haryana. (2026, January 21). Government’s new initiatives to make Haryana a hub of innovation: CM Nayab Singh Saini. Chief Minister’s Office, Government of Haryana. https://prms.prharyana.gov.in/press-release/361

Government of Haryana. (2026, May 29). Haryana Industries and Commerce Department notifies new policies. Chief Minister’s Office, Government of Haryana. https://prms.prharyana.gov.in/press-release/2167

Government of Haryana. (2026, July 29). CET-qualified youth to receive allowance under Saksham Yuva Yojana from November 1: CM Nayab Singh Saini. Chief Minister’s Office, Government of Haryana. https://prms.prharyana.gov.in/press-release/3506

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. (2026, March 25). PMKVY 4.0 in Haryana: Rajya Sabha starred question no. 348 [Parliamentary question and answer]. Government of India. https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/270/AS348_UDjgxQ.pdf?source=pqars

About the contributor

Sneha Kohli is a third-year B.A. (Hons.) Political Science student at Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. She has a keen interest in public policy, governance, and policy research, with prior experience in research projects, policy analysis, and academic writing. She values curiosity, critical thinking, and collaborative learning, and looks forward to contributing to and learning from IMPRI’s research ecosystem.

Acknowledgements

The author extends sincere gratitude to the IMPRI team for their expert guidance and Amrutha Kolluru and Prisha Sachdeva for their valuable feedback and support.